


Crescendo of my Screaming

by iouko_miku



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Character Death, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Circus, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Incomplete, Musical Instruments, Past Abuse, Psychopath Skull, Reborn tried to help, Skull is immortal, Skull wants to die, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-08 02:43:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20284942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iouko_miku/pseuds/iouko_miku
Summary: Skull woke up with no memory. With the small voice in his head, he was led to a ruined mansion. That's the start of everything. Or rather, how he started to remember his past memory that he tried to forget.





	Crescendo of my Screaming

He blinked his wide eyes opened. Skull looked around, tried to move around but alas, a strange man beside him stopped him from doing so. A white hospital dress, white room, and tubes connected to his arms, it's rather obvious that he's in a ward but why?

Tried to speak, but no words came out from his mouth. Skull grabbed the glass filled with water that the man offered and finished it all in one gulp. His throat hurt less, as he was able to say some words without feeling a great pain. He began to ask what had been lingering in his mind, "Why am I here and," he paused for a second before continuing, "who are.. you?"

His guts told him that they're bonded by  _ something _ he knew, but he remembered nothing than his own name. Skull eyed the man carefully and noticed all details about him- like his eye-catching fedora, his handsome features and the gun that was hidden well inside his suit.

The man smirked and replied with no answer other than a chuckle, and that left Skull to be pissed. He bid goodbye at the dumbfounded Skull without explaining anything. While he remained on the bed, quietly speculating to himself, he heard a knock at the door as it creaked open, revealing two different people. One with green hair was in a white coat while the other wore a hood which covered their face.

Skull stared at them as they walked inside and took a seat beside his bed. The moment was filled with silence before he himself broke it with similar questions he'd asked the previous man. "Who are you and what happens to me?' he asked, short and straight forward. This time hoping for a valid answer.

The person in the hood asked him back, sounding hesitate, "Do you really remember nothing?" An immediate nod. They sighed. "Verde, tell him. I've no idea how to explain it."

The green-haired man, now identified as Verde remained quiet for a moment, thinking how he should say it in the simplest manner. "First, I'm Verde,"  _ I know that,  _ "and this person is Mammon. We're your…" he paused, Skull looked at him, a bit amused and curious at his long pause. "Comrades? Yeah, that sounds just right. Regarding why you're here, I don't know the whole story either but Reborn told me that he found you unconscious in your room, with blood coming out from your mouth. You're poisoned."

Skull nodded at his explanation. "How long is it?" he asked, brief and unclear.

"Pardon?"

"How long have I been unconscious?"

Mammon shrugged. "Not sure. Around a month or more?"

"Ah, I see." Skull nodded again and smiled a forced one. "Can both of you please.. get out for a moment? I need some time alone to think 'bout it." They hesitated but complied, as his eyes, although smiling, hid a suspicious gleam that's hard to understand. Skull mouthed a 'thank you'. The smile disappeared right after he was alone.

His eyes closed. It's hard to remember. Who was Reborn, and why did a strange feeling come barging into his heart when Verde mentioned the name? Had they met before? Or, was Reborn..

_ Yes, he's Reborn.  _ The small voice told him and Skull believed. He spent a long time thinking about it. As Mammon and Verde came back to check on him, Skull was already drifted back into sleep. He never noticed that the man with a fedora came too, alongside with them both.

—·—·—

He was supposed to get out not until two weeks later, but he sneaked out earlier because he couldn't stand it. He felt trapped, suffocated and he needed  _ freedom _ . Skull walked aimlessly, ignoring all the eyes which stared deep at him, a strange purple-haired man who wore a hospital dress.

He stopped in front of a ruined mansion.  _ Go inside _ , and he complied. Bare feet walking in, his eyes wandered around in deep boredom. Skull stepped on something, eyes looked down. Eyes saw papers, hands took, eyes read. They're music sheets, and Skull didn't have any trouble reading them.

Was it for flute or clarinet? It didn't specify but the high notes convinced him that it belonged to woodwinds. The basic crescendo, accent, piano and ah- why did everything felt like deja vu? It had happened? What song is this? So quiet, monotonous at first and the climax was a crescendo, loud and high pitched before it went back to being slow. A complete song that needed no other instruments.

He knew that song so well, just not the title.

He folded the paper to its original state and put it back on the floor, before he continued wandering around. This time, to the second floor of the building. The voice gave him the  _ freedom _ to venture, that meant he's safe.

—·—·—

There are three rooms, each door coloured differently, and a staircase to the next floor. He entered the one with faded pink door. The door made a noise as Skull entered and he ignored it all. His eyes stopped at a closet. He walked inside and opened the closet. Its handles covered in dust and dirt, signing how old it had been untouched. _ _

_ Huh, there's nothing special. Just dresses and.. a box? _ Skull took the box out. Fortunate was him as it wasn't locked. The box was wrapped in baby blue and it was rather long. He opened it carefully. What he found was a pair of sticks, rather thin compared with the one he's comfortable with, and another music sheet.

It sounded chaotic and definitely belonged for percussion. Probably snare drum and base drum, based on it. The tempo was fast, continuous if it's not for the rest crochet at the very end. It's like for marching. Another complete, but short, song.

Skull put them back at their original place before he got out from the room quickly, as its scent disturbed him. That's how he grew unaware of the snare drum beside the bed, and also a photograph on it that could be a clue to everything that he experienced right now.

The voice told him that he shouldn't enter the room with the green door but curiosity won over him. After hesitating whether he should enter or not for an eternity, he decided he should. Hands grabbing the knob and without a knock, Skull entered.

A tall figure crept from afar and smirked. "That's the wrong move, darling."  _ You should have listened. _

—·—·—

_ Empty. _

That's the room's condition and how Skull felt about it. Aside from the old posters on the wall and crumpled papers everywhere, there's nothing. No furniture, boxes or even anything important. Skull stepped on a crumpled paper in annoyance.

Then he saw the words on it. Hands immediately brushed the dirt off the paper and opened it up, trying to get a better view. As expected, it's another music sheet. This time, piano? A lullaby, calm and peaceful. Played on a steady tempo from the start until the end. Even a child could play it with side reading. Something he could play right on the first attempt, but not even something worth-praising.

_ Memories, came in. _ What was it? Why was he running? His eyes opened wide in realisation, the music sheet he took as he rushed out. Went straight, turned right, up to the upper floor, turned left, don't _ enter the room now!  _ Sweat dripping down, Skull ignored the chill he felt and opened the door.

_ Cher's Room _ was carved on it. A red door, faded and tainted with dark stains. Skull frantically looked everywhere. A piano, a bed, only those that he managed to find in the dark. ' _ I should play it.' _ And mindlessly, he played it. The piano sheet, he just took a glance at it before he started.

It's not the first time, nor the last time he will play the song. He was free- he didn't need to follow anything the sheet told him what to do. But still the same melody, although different speed. Skull disliked being slow, he disliked how peaceful it was, he  _ loathed _ it.

He heard footsteps getting closer, but Skull didn't bother to stop playing.  _ Claps,  _ he didn't need to look behind to know who was it. It's obvious, clear,  _ he remembered everything. _

"Stop it." Skull smiled and stood up. "Reborn, I've remembered everything. No need for your lies anymore."

—·—·—

"Oh?" His expression wasn't clear as everything was dark, but Skull knew he grinned, Skull knew him so well. "And why are you sure about that? Everything, is it?" Reborn walked closer to him, but he remained frozen on the spot, knowing nothing will bring him any harm.

Skull sighed. "Drop that mysterious act, it annoys me." His eyes stared into Reborn's. Lips quivered. "I can't be just yours, you know that. Keeping me trapped in a loop for your own satisfaction, what do you take me for?" He leaned forward, whispering close to him. "A fool? Your doll? What else?"

The grin turned to a frown, Skull paid no attention to the sudden change of expression. It's nothing important. "It's for your own good." Reborn gritted his teeth. "If you had listened, this wouldn't happen. You'll be safe-"

"-and trapped," Skull remarked. "I'm a cloud, Reborn. I'd rather be dead than staying in a safe cage. It's as if I'm just a doll, lifeless and useless. An accessory that serves no function other than entertaining. Kill me instead if you want to 'keep me safe'."

Reborn huffed. "It's useless, I've tried when you begged me. You," he pointed at Skull, who stared back to him, expressionless, "can't die. Eventually, you'll live back after each attempt. Have you remembered why you fainted?"

"Apologies, I do not. Do tell me,  _ Renato. _ " Sarcasm laced, everybody noticed it.

"Figures. You wanted poison. I give it to you. Blood spluttered out from your mouth, but alas, it's just you falling into a comma and a temporary amnesia. Nothing more than that," he laughed bitterly.

Skull tilted his head. "How about cutting me into half? Or tearing my heart apart? Leaving me alone in a basement without food sounds like a great idea, no? Anything that make me die, please. I don't want to live anymore.." He begged. By each passing questions, he became more frantic and uncontrollable.

_ "GET THE FUCKING MELODY OFF MY HEAD!" _

—·—·—

_ Two kids, still innocent and untainted, became neighbor. A little black haired boy, 10 by then, went out to greet his new neighbour who just moved to Italy after staying in Russia. He noticed that they had done moving all their furniture. Fascination entered his heart as he realised how quick they were! They just got here by the morning, and yet not even a few hours had passed but the lorry already went away. _

_ The boy knocked on the door. "Hello, is anybody home?" he called out, which later replied by a rushed "Wait, wait, I'm coming!" and the door opened, revealing someone even younger than him. A little boy with light blond hair and petite features. If it's not for his short hair, he would have been mistaken for a girl already. _

_ "Pleased to meet you, I'm Renato! What's your name?" he asked, sounding cheery yet still polite. He gave his best smile. _

_ The petite boy seemed flustered. With broken Italian, he replied, slightly stuttering. "I-i'm Cherep. Nice.. meet you? 'Skull, what a strange name,' Renato thought by then. Still, the polite smile never left his face. He offered a handshake, which Cherep accepted. _

_ Renato got to know better about Cherep too. Cherep was four years younger than him, and talented when it came to music. He can play piano, drums and even flute! Though it's true that he's a bit weak when it's flute. It's not his fault, flute was rather a hard musical instrument with all its fingerings that needed to be memorised. Cherep's parents are cool! They handled out a circus or something like that- definitely interesting. _

_ Cherep was homeschooled because he found a hard time speaking Italian. "Renato, you are my best friend!" He giggled and hugged Renato. The older boy just laughed and ruffled his long hair, making it even messier. They're happy, content, with colourful life filled with joy and music. _

_ The happiness never lasted long enough for Cherep to enjoy. _

—·—·—

Two years passed—

_ Cherep was moving again. "Renato, I'm sorry!" He sobbed, tears dripping wet from his doe eyes. "Papa needs to move again because business.. is not good. We need to rent a cheaper place, it's too expensive here. I offered to sell the flute, my snare drum and everything I got but he refuses! He says I shouldn't sacrifice them but I want to. I don't want to move again. I don't want to be away from you!" He cried even harder, Renato had a hard time trying to calm him down. _

_ "It's okay, it's okay," Renato hushed him. "If destiny let it, we will meet again someday. Maybe we can be together," he hesitated, he didn't dare to say it but.. "I promise we will meet again." _

_ Cherep looked up to him in hope. "Promise?" _

_ Renato gulped down. "I promise." _

—·—·—

_ It's like a cycle, really. Move to a new place, business was not doing well, move again, move again. _

_ Eventually, Cherep grew very sick of it. He could have sold the flute, at least they would have enough cash to live a comfortable life for a month as it was rather expensive. But everyone he offered the idea of selling the flute, the reply was always a stern 'No'. _

_ He always hated the flute. His asthma caused his breath to be short, and that made it so, so hard to play the flute. The only song he was able to play was a sad piece, untitled as he was the one who created it. He told the tale of his life that no one will understand, he wrote the notes down on paper, folded it and always carried it with him. Then he.. _

_ Cherep hid the flute somewhere. He didn't remember it, nobody did. _

_ They moved again. With a cheerful face, Papa announced that they're going back to Italy as the pay was good. Cherep smiled and congratulated him, while inside he snarled at the man. It's not like he's going to meet Renato, it's not like the old mansion was something he should be happy about _ .

—·—·—

_ Papa's condition after Mama's death became even worse. He told Cherep, "Go play the piano, be like your Mama and make her proud," while petting his head, gentle. But he wasn't even smiling. _

_ Cherep didn't like it. He disliked the sound, it reminded him of the past, something that he wished to forget. The last time he saw Mama, still alive, was when she played the piano. A soft lullaby she played to drift him into his sweet sleep. He woke up a day later, and saw.. _

_ "Papa? Where's Mama?" _

Mama was dead.

_ Another month later, Papa died from drug abuse, and Cherep was left penniless with the mansion. He could've sold the mansion for some money, but this small voice always told him, "No." The voice started appearing right after Mama's death. It told him what to do and such- it's suffocating but it kept him safe. Till the day that Cherep decided that he wanted to rebel, and did what the voice said don't. _

_ "Don't trust the man." "Don't love that man." But Cherep did anyways. _

_ Cherep was 13 when he was sold away by a stranger he trusted. He was promised that he will get love, care, and a family but what did he actually get?  _ Betrayal.  _ For years, he was experimented by them. An experiment to test whether it's possible for someone to be immortal. With each passing day, Cherep was tested with something new. Starvation, beatings, getting some limbs chopped off, poison and much more. _

_ And every day, he survived. To the point that he began to wonder, 'Why can't I just die?' _

_ Cherep was 15 when he first kill someone. Satisfaction filled his heart when he got to see the old bastard, begging on his knees to be spared. But he just chuckled and did the same things as the man once done, but with mercy. The bastard was starved for a few days before he got his nails off, one by one. Then his tongue got cut, mouth got sewed. Cherep made sure that it was done slowly and painfully. He started to get bored by then, he wasn't a sadist and torturing someone wasn't his best forte. So the man got finished quickly— with stabs on his heart. _

_ He sighed and left the place. Got to start a new life and forget the past, although it's always impossible. _

—·—·—

Cherep was dead, Skull was born.

He got a job as a performer in a circus. At first, he worked at the backstage, with makeup and costumes but then, the leader said he had the potential and talent to perform, so he accepted. He dyed his brown hair to eye-catching purple to attract attention, although it's not often visible as he only opened up his helmet after his show ended.

Many loved and adored him. His loud and obnoxious act made he had fans, young and old. The fact that he can't die helped his show for the better as each time he got a fall or accidentally failed, he never died. Thus, he was called 'The Great Immortal Stuntman' and he liked how it sounded.

Months later, he was kidnapped yet again and when he woke up, he found himself in a room with six strangers— no! He saw Renato but, did Renato recognise him too?  _ Not yet _ . The vague answer left him curious.

Then he discovered that he'd be tangled with the Mafia mess, and despite how much he wanted to leave, he simply can't. The fact that he used to be a civilian made them gave him unfair treatment, Renato too was involved. Although now he called himself Reborn. There's no difference, just from Italian to English, just the same way he changed his name too.

—·—·—

Since the day he got involved with the Mafia, he didn't hear any kind of music anymore and that's relieving. He didn't know since when but everytime he heard any kind of melody or music, it will make him feel dizzy and uncomfortable. Sometimes he fainted, screamed or most of the time he managed to control his own emotions. He hated music, even though he once had loved it dearly.

—·—·—

Skull discovered that Reborn actually remembered him but pretended he didn't. So he decided to ambush his childhood friend with hope that Reborn will shoot him. Dying in Reborn's embrace was his wildest fantasy, and he will be happy if that's possible. He didn't wish for a tragic end, but damn that will be amazing.

Reborn did shot him in surprise that night. He panicked and rushed to save Skull, and became even more frantic when he realised that the wound was already healed by itself. "Oh, it seems that even  _ you _ can't kill me," Skull sighed in disappointment. "I thought you can.. but I guess immortal will still be immortal, and it doesn't matter."

"W-what?" So even the Greatest Hitman can stutter too, _how cute._

"I'm immortal. Please kill me."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry that I'm unable to complete this due to not enough time. But I think it just can end there?? Not beta read, so I apologise for any mistakes.


End file.
